This Saturday, Oct. 10, is World Mental Health Day. Putting aside the fact that the world definitely needs more than one day devoted to mental health, a livestreamed musical event produced by the nonprofit Hi, How Are You Project and American Campus Communities aims to provide support and comfort for those in need. Featuring “relevant original songs from a variety of artists including Jeff Tweedy, Lucius, Tunde Adebimpe, Bully, Kate Davis, Molly Burch, and Sabrina Ellis + Mobley,” the event also includes “general tips for mental well-being in these trying times.” View the trailer for more details. “The aim of the livestream is to bring awareness and information to those who might be struggling with mental health impacted by the various stressors at play in our world, and the organizations are especially hopeful this music and message will reach college students everywhere to remind them they’re not alone nor without resources,” according to the news release. 7 p.m, Saturday, Oct. 10, on Qello.

The International Downtown Association has conferred its Award of Excellence in the category of Urban Place Management on the Downtown Austin Alliance, for its recent work on this year’s Writing on the Walls project and for helping to reshape Interstate 35 in Central Austin. “Writing on the Walls” is a series of art installations and events that features the city’s largest mural, The Beauty of Liberty and Equality, on the LINE Hotel, commemorating the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment. The Downtown Alliance also contributed to an Urban Land Institute panel on I-35 that was “the first step in a community-driven effort to develop a roadmap for transforming the land and streetscape surrounding I-35 through Central Austin.” David Downey, IDA president, said the alliance “has shown expert application of professional urban place management principles” and its work “should serve as a model example to all member communities within IDA.”

Community members are invited to share input at a virtual public hearing for the Texas Department of Transportation’s Loop 360 at Courtyard Drive/RM 2222 project. The hearing, which starts at 10 a.m. today on the project website, includes “a pre-recorded video presentation explaining the proposed improvements, a written transcript of the presentation, display boards, exhibits, and fact sheets.” TxDOT will host an in-person option today by appointment only at the TxDOT Austin District office at 7901 N. I-35. Call 512-832-7192 to schedule an appointment. The deadline for public comments is Wednesday, Oct. 21. Find background on the project at loop360project.com.

In an effort to encourage more Austinites to ride their bikes for short trips, the city is offering to install free bike parking in the public right-of-way for businesses and property owners that request it. “Installing bike parking on the street frees up valuable sidewalk space and enhances the visibility and attractiveness of nearby storefronts,” notes the Transportation Department. Bicycle corrals are available for curbside parking spaces and U-racks may be installed on existing concrete in the right-of-way. A bicycle corral will accommodate up to 14 bikes in a space that formerly housed a single vehicle. Those who want some greenery may even request a planter with their bike parking. Start by looking over the city’s bike parking guidelines and fill out an online bike parking application.

If you’re planning on voting in the Nov. 3 general election in Texas – and the Austin Monitor fervently hopes you are – today is the last day you may register to vote. Travis County residents who still need to register may do so online at Vote411.org, then print out and mail the form to the Travis County Clerk’s Office. Or if you prefer, you may visit any Travis County Tax Office and register to vote in person. Here’s a list of locations. If you’ve moved in the past year or so and you’re not sure whether you’re registered, you may check your status here. The Monitor agrees with Grace Chimene, the president of the League of Women Voters of Texas, who says, “The right to vote is a fundamental principle of our democracy. When more Texans can participate in our elections, we have better outcomes that reflect our community values.” We also suggest you take a look at the League’s very useful web page on voter safety in the era of coronavirus.

Last week, the Office of the City Auditor launched the process of City Council redistricting by forming the Applicant Review Panel. The three members of the panel, who were randomly selected, are James Christianson, Abigael McClean and William Cooper. The panel is tasked with reviewing 270 qualified applicants to the Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission and selecting the 60 most qualified applicants. From the pool of 60, after Council has had an opportunity to strike one member each, 14 members will be selected to redraw the boundaries of the Council districts. Despite a push for a diverse panel, all three panel members are white, and as the Austin American-Statesman reported, some citizens are concerned.  More information about the whole process can be found here.

The city has issued a warning that individuals acting through a “spoofed phone number” and posing as Austin Public Health employees are attempting to scam residents. The scammers appear to be calling from the APH Environmental Health Services main line at 512-978-0300. APH notes that it is working to put a stop to the situation; in the meantime, it reminds Austinites that “APH employees will never ask for Social Security, Medicaid, insurance, immigration, or financial information. There are instances when a member of the Austin Public Health Department will reach out via phone or email, but staff will properly identify themselves and provide contact information for additional questions. Staff will usually verify or confirm information that they already obtained from hospitals or labs instead of initially asking you to tell them that information.” In terms of keeping yourself safe, APH advises residents to ask the name, title and callback information from callers, and verify that information through 311.

With AISD students set to return to school campuses for in-person learning (what we used to call “going to school”), the district has issued a set of guidelines for kids, parents and caretakers to follow when it comes to taking the school bus. Among the extra health and safety protocols, families are asked to take their child’s temperature each morning and keep the child home if their temperature is 100 degrees or over. Students will also have their temperatures screened before boarding the bus. All students must wear a face mask on the bus and only one student per seat is allowed. Hand sanitizer will be available on buses and all buses will be disinfected regularly. Read more about riding the bus in AISD’s Open for Learning Plan V.4.

A new emergency preparedness mobile app is designed to help residents of Central Texas prepare for natural disasters and other emergencies. The app, Ready Central Texas, was created through a partnership of Austin’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management and Travis County’s Office of Emergency Management. The app “has a news section, preparedness resources, emergency plan checklist, informational videos, a document library, and Covid-19 resources,” according to a news release. Juan Ortiz, director of HSEM, said, “We hope the public will download the app and take the time to make an emergency preparedness plan for their family or household.” Eric Carter, chief emergency manager for the the county’s Office of Emergency Management, said, “Our goal is to continue to provide multiple avenues for the public to be prepared so when disasters strike they can take immediate action to ensure they and their loved ones are safe.” You can download Ready Central Texas from the Apple Store or the Google Play Store. The two emergency management offices also urge all residents to register with Warn Central Texas to receive local emergency alerts for your neighborhood.

A brand-new train is coming to Zilker Park and it needs a brand-new name. Austin Parks Foundation, which has been conducting (no pun intended) a naming contest for the new train, has announced the seven finalists and now invites people to select their favorite from the list. The names are:

• The Armadillo Express
• The Bluebonnet Express
• The Zilker Eagle
• Edwina Justus
• The Lady Bird Flyer
• The Moontower Rambler
• The Zilker Zanate

Cast your vote here. Only one vote per person!

Early voting in Texas starts on Oct. 13. You still have time to register, but not much time: Monday, Oct. 5, is your last day to register to vote in the Nov. 3 general election. So get registered! If you’ve moved recently and you’re not sure if you’re registered, check your status online. The League of Women Voters of Texas has released its 2020 nonpartisan voters guide, the “gold standard for nonpartisan, trusted voter information.” Download a printable copy or read the guide online in English or Spanish. Did you know that phones are not allowed in Texas voting booths? But printed material is allowed. So enter your street address at Vote411.org to get a personalized sample ballot to take with you to the polls or have handy at your kitchen table when you fill out your mail-in ballot. Speaking of voting by mail, if you’re eligible, you can apply now to vote by mail. Who’s eligible? Those who are 65 or older, sick or disabled, out of the county during the election period, or in jail but eligible to vote. The deadline to request a mail-in ballot is Oct. 23. This year, Travis County voters may hand-deliver their personal mail-in ballots at one of four different drive-thru locations, starting today. You must show ID, wear your face mask and deposit your ballot into a ballot box. And ignore those neighborly urges, because you may not deliver a mail-in ballot for anyone else.

New orders from the county and city extend a ban on notices to vacate through the end of the year. This time, the notices apply to tenants that pay no more than $2,475 in rent and have provided their landlord the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Declaration. In another change, the city order includes commercial tenants that operate bars, restaurants, live music venues, art venues and childcare centers. Additionally, the county has extended a ban on initiating an eviction for residential tenants. That ban is also in effect through December 31, 2020.